Zambia coach open to offer from ´big African team´

January 23, 2010


Zambia coach Herve Renard has disclosed that he is willing to handle a top African team when his two-year contract with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) runs out in July.

The 41-year-old Frenchman has led Zambia into their first Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final in 14 years and said his ambition was to soon work with a higher profile team than Zambia.

“I know what I want, I’m very ambitious and I’m not scared to say so. I said even before this tournament that I wish to be coach of a very top team one day.

“I’m young but I’m not scared about anything,” said Renard, who assisted Claude Le Roy with Ghana two years ago.

“Now I can speak English and I’m French, so it’s only the Portuguese-speaking countries like Angola and Mozambique that it would be difficult for me to work with because the language is very important.

“But if they qualify for the World Cup, I will sign immediately for them.

“But really, I would want to stay in Africa with a bigger team. Claude Le Roy explained to me a lot of things about Africa. There are good things and bad things in Africa, but he said his heart is always in Africa. I’m the same now. I like this continent.”

The Frenchman admitted his time with the Chipolopolo of Zambia may soon come to an end.

“My contract will finish very soon, in a few months. I’m not sure I want to extend or renew my contract, so even if they don’t want me, it won’t be a problem,” he said.

Zambia take on Nigeria in Monday’s quarter-final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Lubango with the winner up against the winner of the match between hosts Angola and Ghana.

BENGUELA, Angola (AFP)

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Capello sees Spain, Brazil as key threats

December 4, 2009


Fabio Capello on Friday identified Spain and Brazil as England’s main threats at next year’s World Cup, but also said an African team could surprise.

England have been resurgent under Capello and qualified easily, doing enough to be one of eight seeds in Friday’s draw for the group stages, meaning there is no danger of a first round meeting with Spain or Brazil.

But they could be drawn against a African team.

“If you want to win then you have to play the great sides but I have confidence in my team,” Capello said on the sidelines of England presenting its bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

“We have played all the top teams. For me, Spain is good and Brazil is very, very good.

“But I think the teams from Africa could surprise. I saw Ivory Coast and they really surprised me. And Cameroon are one of the best teams from the continent.”

England are expected to base themselves in Rustenburg, about two hours drive from Johannesburg, for the tournament from June 11-July 11 next year although Capello is concerned about the quality of the training pitches there.

“The pitches at the grounds are very good and the facilities are fantastic, but the training pitches are not great. But we have time,” he said.

“Rustenburg is one of our options.”

CAPE TOWN (AFP)

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Keshi: “They need to make Africa proud now”

November 18, 2009


Despite the increasing amount of African players in European top football, Stephen Keshi doubts the African chances at the World Cup, next year in South Africa.

The Nigerian is thrilled that the Super Eagles reached the World Cup at the last minute. However, Keshi is uncertain if they, alongside Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and South Africa, could make the continent proud next year.

The Mali coach, who saw his team lose the sole WC-slot to Ghana, pointed out that the teams that represent Africa, should “make Africa proud.”

But asked if they could do that he said: “I don’t know but I just want them to be better organised. If you look at Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon they have quality players and all we need is that whoever is in charge concentrates and organises well because they need to make Africa proud.”

Paul Haring

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SAfrica to use World Cup to build football legacy

September 14, 2009


The 2010 World Cup will leave a football legacy through various development programmes, while organisers on Monday promised tourists “a truly African festival” during the event.

“The hosting of the World Cup will leave a lasting legacy for football in this country,” Danny Jordaan, head of the local organising committee, told journalists.

“One of the worst legacies of sport under apartheid is the dearth of football facilities in disadvantaged areas and the complete lack of recognition and support by the apartheid government of the sport.”

He said a project called ‘win in Africa with Africa’ would equip the host continent with the ability to continue its football development and will include construction of 52 football pitches.

Forty-four of these are already complete and 15 have already been used for 2010 qualifier matches.

As part of the tournament’s legacy Minister of Arts and Culture Lulu Xingwana promised tourists “a truly African festival”.

She said her department has met with other African ministers and the African Union commission responsible for arts and culture to provide artists and musicians.

She said this was “to ensure when we have festivals and carnivals they participate to make this an African tournament.”

Xingwana said there would be various cultural precincts around training venues to showcase, art, song and dance from all over the continent.

JOHANNESBURG (AFP)

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Jet fuel probe to ensure no 2010 shortages

August 7, 2009


A jet fuel shortfall at Africa’s busiest airport will be investigated to ensure no shortages during the 2010 football World Cup, South Africa’s energy minister said Thursday.

Minister Dipuo Peters announced a multi-sector team to probe the dropping of fuel stocks at OR Tambo International airport to a two-day stockpile which the airport said was due to interruptions in the country’s supply network.

“The minister wants to ensure that we are ready for 2010. She has asked all of them to work together and ensure that there is sufficient supply of jet fuel at the airport,” said spokesman Bheki Khumalo.

“It is a serious concern about the the period leading to and after 2010, we need to insist and make sure that we don’t have a repeat of this.”

A five-day stockpile is the airport’s standard reserve to offset any pauses in the supply system.

The shortfall only affects OR Tambo, the busiest airport on the continent, with 18 million passengers and 300,000 tons of cargo passing through its terminals annually, he said.

The airport has said a request for airlines operating from OR Tambo, which averages 600 flights a day on average, to reduce fuel usage would remain in place until reserves normalised.

Stocks are expected to return to normal next week.

The airport is expected to channel the bulk of football fans, estimated to reach 460,000 by organisors, at next year’s 2010 World Cup.

JOHANNESBURG (AFP)

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SAfrica´s WC2010 readiness praised, challenges remain

June 30, 2009


PRETORIA (AFP) – South Africa’s 2010 readiness got a thumbs up on Monday after a successful Confederations Cup, with organisers confident that hitches will be ironed out ahead of the continent’s first World Cup.

Security passed with no major incident, a critical concern with crime levels in South Africa among the world’s worst, while the football curtainraiser was also praised for unifying South Africans 15 years after democracy.

“The rehearsal, as this tournament has become known, has been very satisfactory. We are happy with the level of commitment shown by the organising committee and the government,” FIFA boss Sepp Blatter told journalists.

The world football body gave organisers a 7.5 out of ten for the Confeds Cup, saying it hoped the score will rise to 10 by next year for the world’s football extravaganza.

Blatter identified transport – hit by reports of bottlenecks at public park-and-ride facilities – and accommodation as areas that needed improvement before 450,000 fans descend on the country.

“One item in question beforehand was security but the organising committee headed by Danny Jordaan have done a very good job – the hospitality and reception by the (local) population has been really remarkable,” said Blatter.

“So I am satisfied with the way the competition went but there are still challenges which will have to be dealt with in terms of transport and accommodation.”

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valke said problems will be discussed at a debriefing on Tuesday.

“There aren’t any problems that won’t be resolved before the draw in December” he added.

Valke expressed confidence in the country’s ability to provide security for the World Cup, saying “South Africa has exceeded expectations during the Confederations tournament”.

Despite a widely-reported theft at the hotel of the Egytian team, police logged 39 criminal cases that consisted mainly incidents of petty theft reported around the stadium vicinity and at two hotels hosting delegations.

During the World Cup, the number of police will be increased to 30,000, according to the organising committee.

Deputy police chief, Andre Pruis said the event’s joint security team was “satisfied that years of planning and preparations resulted in a tournament during which no major security breach occured”.

“We will build on lessons learned and expand on best practices to assist FIFA and the LOC in presenting the best World Cup ever in 2010,” said Pruis.

The World Cup will be played for the first time on African soil with benefits expected to spill over into neighbouring countries.

The event is expected to rack up billions for South Africa, with researchers on Saturday saying that the global crunch was unlikely to affect a 55.7 billion rand (7.1 billion dollars) boost for Africa’s largest economy.

Consulting firm Grant Thornton estimates that 483,257 foreign tourists – including fans, teams, and media – will spend 8.5 billion rand during the month-long tournament to be played in nine host cities.

The Confederations Cup was also lauded for filling stands with fans of different races, with football traditionally supported by black South Africans.

“The tournament drew the most diverse spectators this country has ever seen, that is a huge achievement for us as a nation,” said local organising committee chief Danny Jordaan.

Amid gushing praise, South Africa’s press cautioned that the country had a year to iron out challenges.

“But even the most cynical among the foreign visitors have slowly come to accept that SA will host a world-class Soccer World Cup next year after successfully staging the Confederations Cup.”

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World Cup is golden opportunity for Africa — if it succeeds

June 12, 2009


The countdown has begun for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, an event, now only a year away, that could change perceptions about the whole continent and show the globe a festival of sport that reverses obstinate stereotypes of a region in constant crisis and violence.

Africans are deeply frustrated by the tendency of foreigners, including investors, to see Africa almost as one country instead of more than 50 extremely diverse nations. Meltdown in Zimbabwe can impact on investors’ perceptions of countries thousands of miles away on the other side of the continent. By the same token, a successful World Cup will not only change the way people see Africa but also encourage future mega events and the huge investment that they can bring.

So, much more is riding on 2010 than a mere sporting spectacle, albeit the most watched sports event in the world and the biggest ever held in Africa. A successful tournament, with the special atmosphere that happy, dancing and singing local supporters can bring, should land a tourist and investment bonanza for South Africa in particular, but also help the surrounding region and countries further afield.

If the tournament falls short, the reverse will be true.

Even as late as the end of last year, the negative voices were still loudly casting doubt on South Africa’s ability to organise such a huge event, suggesting everything from stadiums to transport routes would not be ready. White South Africans, many still sceptical about black rule 15 years after the end of apartheid and keener on rugby and cricket than football, were among the cynics.

But recently the Jeremiahs have begun to quieten down and it is now generally accepted that all 10 stadiums, half of them new, will be ready months ahead of the competition. This month’s eight-nation Confederations Cup –although it has little of the buzz of the bigger event — will give an idea of South African organisation and test four of those stadiums.

Still, big challenges remain and there is no room for complacency. Much work is still to be finished if the World Cup is to succeed and be the greatest edition ever, as both its organisers and President Jacob Zuma have promised.

The biggest potential spoiler is undoubtedly South Africa’s daunting reputation for violent crime. Organisers clearly see the danger — significant attacks on foreign fans would be disastrous for the World Cup.

Police are recruiting thousands of new members and will deploy 40,000 specially trained men to protect stadiums, hotels and major transport routes.

Officials point to South Africa’s highly successful organisation of many events including a cricket and rugby world cup and the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket–moved to South Africa because of security fears at home. Fans do not seem to be deterred. Ticket sales around the global are heavily oversubscribed so far.

The question is, will the giant police operation be enough to safeguard notoriously anarchic football fans, especially after they have a few drinks and decide to go for a wander? The European culture of aggressive supporters groups fighting each other is also totally foreign to the African way, so police will also have to handle that at the same time as deterring criminal gangs who may see the World Cup as a golden opportunity of their own, with many thousands of comparatively well-heeled tourists, not to mention journalists carrying expensive equipment, touring the country.

Insiders also say transport is still not adequate for the World Cup and cooperation will be needed between South Africa’s traditional minibus operators and a fleet of special coaches planned by the government–the taxi drivers have already protested against the plan, believing it will rob them of revenue. Hotel capacity is another issue and South Africa is encouraging the use of guesthouses, national park lodges and even timeshare apartments to meet the shortfall.

Officials say whatever the problems, South Africans will pull together next year to ensure the tournament brings their country unrivalled kudos, with none of the whingeing seen in Western nations about the disruption caused by big events. President Zuma himself has emphasised the economic benefits of World Cup construction during South Africa’s first recession in nearly two decades and promised a competition to remember.

So will this World Cup be the best and most joyful ever, boosting the image of Africa, or could it be a disastrous disappointment that reinforces the cynics?

PHOTO: A general view of Soccer City, also known as the FNB Stadium, in Johannesburg May 15, 2009. The stadium is earmarked to host both the opening and final soccer matches of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

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Nearly 400,000 tickets sold for Confed Cup

May 21, 2009


JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Nearly 400,000 tickets, representing about 63 percent of the seats available, have been sold for the Confederations Cup in South Africa next month, the world football body FIFA said Thursday.

“With just 25 days to the kick-off of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009, a total of 383,506 tickets have now been sold – this corresponds to 63 percent of the total number of tickets available,” FIFA said in a statement.

The Confed Cup runs June 14-28 with champions from each continent, as well as host South Africa and world champs Italy.

For the last Confed Cup in Germany in 2005, about 85 percent of the tickets were sold.

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FIFA agents, players targeted in Spain cocaine probe – reports

February 26, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Two FIFA agents and several current and former football players with Spanish clubs are under investigation as part of a probe into cocaine trafficking, Spanish media reported Wednesday.

The operation, carried out in Madrid and the Mediterranean port of Valencia, led to the seizure Wednesday of 600 kilos (1,320 pounds) of cocaine hidden in shipping containers, the online edition of sports daily AS said, citing sources close to the investigation.

The reports did not name which footballers were under investigation but AS said some were from first division side Atletico Madrid as well as from second division side Rayo Vallecano and Poli Ejido which is in the third division.

Spain, with its historical and linguistic ties to South America, is Europe’s main entry point for cocaine from the continent, especially from Colombia, the world’s top producer of the drug.

Spanish customs agents seized 21.8 tonnes of cocaine in 2008, according to provisional figures, down from 25 tonnes in the previous year.

Over 8,000 people were jailed in Spain last year for cocaine trafficking.

Written by: AFP

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2010 World Cup ´will leave legacy of pride in Africa´

January 26, 2009

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – The 2010 World Cup to be hosted by South Africa will leave the legacy of security in the country and of pride on the continent, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Monday.

"There will be a double legacy. There will be the one in South Africa. There will be extremely tight security. We hope that this security will be maintained after the World Cup in order to ensure that we have left a legacy," he said in an interview to mark 500 days to go to the event.

"The other legacy is for the whole of Africa. We want them to be proud and be able to say "we Africans have organised the world’s most important sporting event: the FIFA World Cup," Blatter said in the exclusive interview to FIFA.com, copies of which were were released here.

"We have to trust in the African’ ability to organise the competition. Trust will give them confidence. If they have confidence, they will be better in the future, not only as footballers, but as organisers," he said.

At a news conference Monday in Nasrec, outside Johannesburg, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said that certain logistics problems to be solved ahead of the World Cup were puttig the organisers on a "very tight schedule."

"I am not afraid anymore about the stadiums. The infrastructure is okay. What is left now is to give life to the World Cup," Valcke said.

"We have several minor issues to correct or to work on. But generally, we are on track on our programme. We are a little late on some issues, but well in advance in others," he told an AFP reporter after the news conference.

"I was a little worried because we are 135 days to the Confederations Cup and 500 days to the World Cup, and the nights are getting shorter. But generally we are at ease even if the pressure comes, and becomes severe," he said.

He urged spectators to buy tickets ahead of matches in order to ensure that stadiums were filled on match days.

"If people are buying tickets at the last minute, it will be difficult to fill the stadiums," he told reporters at the news conference, also attended by Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee (LOC).

Jordaan assured that all the eight teams participating in the June Confederations Cup in South Africa will field their best players as, according to him "each of the teams are going to play to win."

Brazil, United States, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand and hosts South Africa are participating in the Confederations Cup, to be played in June in four South African cities.

Written by: AFP

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